Bonds Across Time
by StarlingChild4
Summary: Oneshot/drabble collection. From tragic deaths to fluffy moments, these characters all share one thing in common: their undeniable bonds of friendship, family, and sometimes romance. Ongoing series.
1. Regrets and Revenge

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Inuyasha franchise.**_

 _ **Author's Note: This will be an ongoing series. I originally was going to have this be a stand-alone oneshot, until I realized that I had several other ideas that weren't directly attached to InuKag and too short to be full-length fics, soooooo... Here it is! Think of this as the "non-ship" version of Tied Together (except I might include ship moments, but mostly, I'm gonna try to focus on friendships and family). Expect a lot of angst, but also some fluff. ^_^**_

 _ **Ch. 1: This was an idea that developed on Discord, and grew into a monster that I had to write asap. Basically, it came down to this: Koga fighting to the death is a better ending for him then getting the writing shaft by Rumiko Takahashi. Also, this was a request from a Koga fangirl, so no flames.**_

 _ **Setting: alternative mid-Final Act**_

 _ **Characters: Koga, Kagome, Inuyasha, etc**_

 _ **Words: 1,578**_

 _ **Rated: T, for some graphic depictions of violence**_

 _ **Genre: Major Character Death/Angst**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Regrets and Revenge**

Before Naraku, life was simple for Koga. He let his wolves hunt wherever they pleased (and human villages were an easy place for plenty of fresh meat, both human and livestock), he battled the Birds of Paradise, he took care of his tribe. Kagome and her friends were the first change in Koga's life as pack leader. From then on, he forbade the consumption of humans (unless it was a genuine battle), and resorted to raiding farms and hunting wildlife. His wolves obeyed him because he was Alpha, no matter how bizarre his reasoning was to them.

Then, his brothers and cousins from the West came looking for Jewel shards and attacked a castle. When Koga raced off to stop them, the overwhelming stench of blood nearly clogged his senses. All he saw were the countless bodies of his slaughtered brethren, and Inuyasha covered in their blood. Much of that night was a blur to Koga, but in the end, only two things mattered: many wolf-demon lives were lost that night, and the true culprit was a creature known as Naraku.

Since then, Koga abandoned his responsibilities as Alpha. His mind was fixed on one thing, and one thing: avenging his comrades and bringing an end to the despicable Naraku.

But after a while, secretly, in the furthest recesses of his mind, this game of hide-and-seek was getting old.

For a brief time, after the long-drawn-out battle between the Band of Seven on Mount Hakurei, Koga's conflicted mind danced with the idea of taking up Ayame's offer and returning to his tribe. Maybe settle down and marry her. Punch out some cubs. Continue to live in peace with family and friends.

Until...

"Goraishi!" Koga yelled, slicing down on Moryomaru's impenetrable armor. Or rather, Naraku, who had consumed his minion's body. The bastard would go to any lengths for power. Seething with a desire to destroy the parasite that ruined so many lives, the reason behind the deaths of his comrades, Koga struck again. But the nasty tendrils wrapped around his legs dragged him deeper into the repulsive mutated body of his hated enemy. His paralyzed legs were no good either, all thanks to Moridiko's will, or whatever bullshit that Kikyo was talking about.

Koga thrashed in vain, but then his head went under, until he was completely covered in disgusting liquid within Naraku's body, being dragged deeper and deeper...

 _Dammit! If I'm going to die, so be it, but I refuse to become a part of Naraku's flesh! Help me... my ancestors..._

A light enveloped him. Raising his heavy hand, Koga brought down Goraishi's claws once more and broke away from his nemesis. The howling of wolves surrounded his being, giving him strength to deal a brutal blow onto Naraku's body.

For a moment, the infant – Naraku's heart – was exposed once more.

"GIVE HIM THE FINISHING BLOW, MUTT!" Koga yelled, as he leaped away. Or tried to. Once again, his legs froze. Fuck!

The sound of flesh tearing apart rang in his ears, but he registered no other sound. In the distance, he saw Kagome standing on the cliff below, her mouth open in horror, screaming silently. But why was she...? As if in slow-motion, he looked down at himself.

Naraku's tendrils had reached up at the last minute and ripped off the flesh around his ankles, exposing his bones. Another one burrowed itself deep into his chest, piercing his heart. Even now, he felt it throb painfully, attempting to pump blood and strength back into his body, but to no avail.

 _Oh. So, that's it._

And he fell into darkness.

.

.

.

When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on the cold ground on his back. A blurry figure hovered over him. His face felt wet, like it was raining. Sounds surrounded him, muffled and overlapping one another. Distantly, he wondered if he was in the netherworld.

"-oga! Koga!"

Kagome's tear-stained face came into focus. Another teardrop fell and landed on his cheek. Ah. So, that's why he felt wet. Strangely, this was amusing to him. He tried to smile, but ended up coughing instead, his whole body seizing with agonizing convulsions.

"He looks really bad."

"Can you help him, Lady Kagome?"

"I-I don't know..."

"Still, at least wolf-boy won't die in vain. He dealt a pretty serious blow to Naraku."

Koga grunted at this. "Mutt..." he said, his voice raspy and thick. "What was that... you just said...?"

"Your Goraishi severely injured N-Naraku," Kagome said, hiccupping as she attempted to wipe her tears. "It'll take some time for him to get back up."

"Ah. But I didn't kill him."

"Save it, wolf, none of us can kill Naraku by ourselves, so don't beat yourself up too much," Inuyasha barked, coming into view. His voice sounded harsh and indifferent, but his eyes... What was that look?

"Heh," Koga smirked, coughing slightly again, and spitting out a wad of blood. "I don't know what you're talking about, mutt-face, I'm perfectly-"

"Koga." Kagome spoke again, fresh tears shining in her eyes. "Your legs."

For the first time, Koga realized that the only part of his body that felt no pain were below his knees. A cold dread filled him. "A-are they...?"

"Naraku sliced them off to get your stupid Jewel shards," Inuyasha said bluntly. Again, his voice contrasted greatly with his expression. What the hell was that?!

"What's with that look, mutt?!" Koga snapped. "I already knew that! I saw those fucking tendrils wrapped around me-"

He was cut off again by another attack of coughing, followed by vomiting up blood. Mercifully, Kagome helped him sit up enough so he wouldn't choke. Through his blurred vision, he could see the stubs of his missing legs, and blood and miasma mixed together on his torn-up chest.

 _This is it, isn't it?_

"I'm so sorry, Koga!" Kagome sobbed, as she laid him back down. "I would p-purify you, but I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

"You're afraid you'll purify my ass out of this world, yeah, I know," Koga said with a smirk, though it hurt the corners of his mouth. For a moment, blackness wavered across his vision. He didn't have much time. Using up the last of his strength, he reached up and clasped Kagome's hands. "K-Kagome, please, don't... don't cry... You're really – beautiful, when you smile. Okay?" He brushed one hand over her cheek, catching a tear as it slid down. She hiccupped, and nodded, though the tears continued to flow freely.

Koga took in a shuddering breath. Darkness hovered over him. _Please, wait, just a little bit longer_ , he pleaded to the gods. Then, with an effort, he smiled at Kagome again. "You really... really are an amazing woman, you know. I'm glad... glad I fell in love with you. Even though I know, I always knew," here, he turned his head and locked eyes with Inuyasha, "you'd never really love me back."

His old rival's face softened, the golden eyes flashing with an emotion Koga had never seen before. In other circumstances, he'd take this chance to tease him mercilessly for being a weakling. But now... Now, with Kagome sobbing uncontrollably at his side, the rest of the gang standing off respectfully and quietly mourning his inevitable departure from this world... Now, he had to put aside his old pride.

"Listen here, mutt—no, Inuyasha" - the half-demon started at Koga using his name - "you... must not fail me... you must promise me... that you will kill Naraku... don't let my death be in vain...

"And- for fuck's sake," Koga continued, heaving a deep breath, stubbornly delaying death as long as he dared, "Inuyasha, stop making Kagome cry. Make her... make her happy, like I never could have..."

"I will," Inuyasha said softly, his voice hoarse. His face was contorted, like he was trying desperately to keep up appearances and remain indifferent in the presence of his rival's last wish, but also couldn't help revealing his true feelings.

For some reason, that gave Koga some comfort.

He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed deeply. Maybe he shouldn't have wasted so much time. Right now, he could be living comfortably in his cave back home, surrounded by the smell of freshly devoured corpses, the laughter of his family and the howling of wolves. Maybe then he'd have no regrets.

But, no. He may be far from his wolf pack, but Inuyasha and Kagome had unknowingly given him another family. One that drove him crazy. One that pissed him off. But one he was proud of, nonetheless.

For the first time, Koga became aware of Ginta and Hakkaku, his two loyal friends, sobbing quietly on his other side. He wondered for a moment why he didn't notice before, since they were always making a fuss. But then again, he mused, that was when he was never in true danger. He wasn't dying back then.

In respect of their Alpha and comrade, they chose to quietly mourn over him. His chest filled with pride.

"Ginta... Hakkaku..."

They looked up, startled.

"Take care of our family... in my place..."

"O-of course, Koga," they said, sniffing and trembling with barely controlled sobs.

"And... if you see Ayame again... tell her... I'm sorry... I didn't keep my promise..."

He spoke too much. He could feel Death's grip on his soul. Taking one last shuddering breath, Koga looked upward at the stars.

"I'm coming... my brothers..."

And he knew no more.


	2. Close Call

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**_

 _ **Author's Note: Okay, I wrote this tiny drabble MONTHS ago on Tumblr, when I received an "angst" prompt. I've been debating with myself whether or not to post it in my Tied Together collection, since it IS InuKag-centric. But ultimately, since I started this series, I decided it'd be best here. Because angst. ^.^ Enjoy!**_

 _ **Characters: InuKag**_

 _ **Words: 400**_

 _ **Rated: K+/T**_

 _ **Genre: Angst**_

* * *

 **Close Call**

 _"Hang on. You're gonna be okay. Keep breathing."_

An invisible hand grips her throat. She opens her mouth to speak, but doesn't make a sound. Something is pressing against her neck. Something wet and warm and sticky. She can't breathe. She can't feel anything, except the pain. So much pain...

 _"Inuyasha, she needs medical help right away!"_

 _"I know that, stupid!"_

 _"Do you think you can take her through the well?"_

Disembodied voices echo around her, muffled in her ears. White spots speckle her vision. Shadows loom around her. She imagines they are spirits of the netherworld, coming for her departing soul.

 _"No! You mustn't move her! She'll lose too much blood!"_

 _"What else can we do, bitch?! I've been to her world on the other side! I know they can help her!"_

 _"But what if it'll be too late?"_

Someone or something lifts her up. Despite the pain, she feels secured and comforted in the stranger's embrace. Who is it? An angel? The Grim Reaper? Who can say?

 _"I'll make sure it won't be too late. I promised to protect her. I promised."_

More shadows, blurred images. The rushing air is forcing itself down her throat, though it burns with every intake. She takes labored breaths now, vaguely aware of the alien sound echoing in her stuffed ears. The arms holding her close are strong and familiar. Are you God? Who are you? She wants to ask, but cannot.

 _"Please, Kagome. Please, don't die on me. I will save you, I swear it!"_

A bright flash. Then the world turns black.

.

.

She opens her eyes. A pure white ceiling with fluorescent lighting. Stiff thin sheets. Strange beeping sounds. Painfully, she turns her head. Even without a mirror on hand, she can tell that her neck is wrapped in gauze or some sort of bandaging material. Sitting next to her, perched on a chair, is a vision of red and silver.

She blinks. Her vision clears. She smiles. It hurts to move her lips, but she has to call out to him.

"In-Inuyasha..."

He jerks awake and jumps out of his chair. Grabs her hand. Kisses the palm fiercely and takes a shuddering breath. Their eyes meet.

"You... you're all right. You're all right."

She caresses his face.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. You saved me, again."

He says nothing. Only leans in and kisses her, his tears staining her cheeks.


	3. Showdown

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, I would have killed off Naraku LONG ago.**_

 _ **Author's Note: Another Tumblr request, from Just Dyana! (From several months ago... again) I have a LOT of feelings about Naraku's (shitty) writing, and it drives me CRAZY how over-powered he gets in the series, for no damn reason, either, because the entire InuGang is more than capable of taking him down, especially Kagome! So this request created a canon divergence/AU where Kagome shows just how badass she really is, even if canon only showed it on occasion.**_

 _ **Setting: alternative episode 50, with a dash of events from episode 30.**_

 _ **Characters: Kagome, Naraku, rest of the InuGang**_

 _ **Words: 2,924**_

 _ **Rated: T, for language and violence**_

 _ **Genre: Action, some Romance in the end**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Showdown**

Kagome gripped her wounded arm as Kirara carried her through the forest after Sango and Inuyasha. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, both from the adrenaline rush from obtaining her latest injury and in concern for her best friend. Something in Sango's eyes and voice had frightened her, far more than any amount of flesh-eating demons or even Kohaku attacking her. After Kohaku ran off, and Sango saw the blood on Kagome's shirt, she put two and two together and ran after her brother. Kagome could sense that Sango didn't plan on negotiation this time. The haunted look in her eyes, the grim set of her jaw... She was going to do something impulsive. They had to stop her!

Kagome hissed in pain as her wound throbbed again. It wasn't a deep gash thankfully, but it was amazing how even the smallest cut could almost hurt just as bad. Her mind whirled with the memories of the night; everyone worried that Kagura and her horde of demons would be after his Jewel shard, Kagome taking hold of his hand and running into the forest, and finding the small alcove to hide in. Kohaku seemed so small, so vulnerable, that Kagome's heart went out to him. Though he was only a few years younger than herself, he reminded her distinctly of Sota, wide-eyed, innocent, gentle. No wonder Sango felt so protective of him. Even with all the blood on his hands, from killing his comrades and his father, his scared eyes had revealed more than ever that the true culprit was Naraku.

It was _always_ Naraku. Kagome clenched her fists, thinking hard.

When Kohaku had injured her, his eyes were glazed over, but his hand trembled while holding his sickle above her head, its blade gleaming against a ray of moonlight. As he brought it down, and her heart pounded in her throat, she still noted that it slowed down considerably once it touched her skin. She cried out instinctively and fled their hideout, clutching her bleeding arm, only escaping because he hesitated for a moment. But as she ran on and he chased her, her mind wasn't thinking of her safety but rather of his actions. Yes, he had injured her, but he didn't kill her. In the moment he lifted his weapon, she didn't have time to run, she didn't have room to dodge when he struck down. He had the perfect shot. Naraku had complete control of his body and mind.

Or did he?

The same weapon that killed so many people barely grazed her, and though she bled and felt pain, she knew in her heart he could have done much worse. Sango didn't stick around to hear Kagome's thoughts (who, admittedly, was still reeling in shock over it all when she arrived on the scene), but Inuyasha got the message so hopefully whatever damage that had been done would still be salvaged. Maybe Kohaku could finally be saved. Maybe...

Suddenly, Kirara yowled and came to a screeching halt, jolting Kagome out of her reverie. She looked up and her throat closed. Sango was down on the ground, holding her sword over Kohaku's throat, saying words she could not hear, but the message was clear: she was going to kill her brother.

 _"I'm sorry..."_ Sango's last words to her came back in a shock. Did she mean... killing herself, too?!

Kagome tried to call out Sango's name, but then a blur of red and silver flashed by and knocked Sango's sword out of her hands. Kagome sighed, willing her heart to calm down, as Kirara ran forward to greet them.

"Sango," she said breathlessly as she hopped off the fire-cat, "Kohaku hesitated when he hurt me. He's fighting Naraku in his own way, I know he is!"

"I know," Sango said shakily while Inuyasha steadied her upright. "Inuyasha said... b-but..." Tears formed in her eyes as she looked pleadingly into Kagome's eyes.

Suddenly, Kagome understood. More than ever. Before, she merely sympathized with Sango's dilemma. But somehow, seeing the tears in her friend's angry yet pleading eyes, Kagome was hit with a massive wave of empathy. She imagined if Sota was possessed and had killed Mama and Grampa. She imagined if Sota was forced to work for the monster who made him kill his family, if Sota still had his heart and mind, but couldn't act on them. She imagined if Sota injured Sango, even if only slightly, after she believed that he was finally free of his tormentor.

She looked at Inuyasha, who was scowling at Sango's impulsiveness but also had soft eyes. Inuyasha, who was forced to believe that his beloved Kikyo had betrayed him, and ending up pinned to the Tree of Ages, waking up to find her long dead. Even as Kikyo wandered the world now, they would never be able to rekindle their relationship, the bridge had long ago burned to a crisp.

She thought of Miroku's cursed hand. Of his father's terrible death. She thought of the Jewel shards that they've been meticulously collecting, only to have Naraku gain the majority thanks to Kikyo. She thought of the countless dead bodies, countless demons they fought, countless pain and suffering caused by the Jewel.

And by Naraku's cowardly hands.

Kagome's heart clenched, the concept of her brother being in Kohaku's position and her other friends' terrible pain engulfing her, until she gasped and gripped her shirt. Hatred flowed through her body, pouring through every ounce of her as she recalled Naraku's smirk, Naraku's taunts, his every cruel action towards the people she loved.

"Damn that Naraku," Kagome whispered harshly to herself, barely noticing Inuyasha's ears twitching in surprise. "I must destroy him. I _must_."

Then, his eerily haunting and annoying laughter could be heard. The three friends looked around for their nemesis's face, while Kohaku's body started floating in the air away from them.

"No, Kohaku!" Sango cried, lunging for her brother, grabbing hold of his foot.

Inuyasha whipped out Tetsusaiga, growling furiously, "Show yourself, you coward!"

But Kagome's eyes scanned the trees for something else. Something Inuyasha's sensitive ears couldn't pick up. There! A glint of the tainted Jewel! Ignoring the pain in her arm, she cocked an arrow on her bow and aimed closely. Fury, which normally made her shake and throw off her rhythm, was on her side. Cold, deadly anger kept her aim straight and true.

She fired.

With an incredible force, her arrow made an explosion in the trees, causing everyone to nearly fall over. Kagome dug her feet into the earth. She was going to stand her ground. She refused to fall!

The dust and purifying light of her arrow dissipated, and Naraku was visible at last. He stood slumped against a tree, a gaping hole in his gut, staring in shock at Kagome. "How are you still alive?!" he demanded.

"Your time is up, Naraku!" Kagome shouted, barely aware of her friends' stunned reactions behind her, hardly acknowledging Miroku and Shippo running into the clearing, panting and asking what was going on. Her eyes were locked on the former human Onigumo, the "half-demon" Naraku who was the sole cause of their suffering. "You are utterly _despicable!_ " she screamed, as she prepared another arrow to fire. "Now DIE!"

Her arrow pierced his chest, directly where his heart must be. Naraku snarled, "No! No, I have the Jewel, I have more power than you!"

"Then maybe you should have thought more carefully before underestimating me," Kagome said furiously. "You have no power, only borrowed power from the Jewel. You're a COWARD AND YOU WILL DIE AS ONE!" She shot arrow after arrow, piercing his body again and again, before finally concentrating on the Jewel he buried in his chest. "You will never hurt my friends again! You will never do anything again! GO TO FUCKING HELL, NARAKU! I'LL SEND YOU THERE, MYSELF!"

One last shot. The Jewel launched out of his filthy body and landed on the grass close to Kagome's feet. Naraku screamed then vanished in a shower of dust and pure energy.

And then Kagome saw black.

.

.

Stunned by the scene he had stumbled upon, still rather dizzy from the amount of saimyosho he sucked up, Miroku suddenly felt his head clear. The poison of the insects no longer hurt. He glanced down at his cursed hand, and trembling, removed the beads. There was no more Wind Tunnel.

He was free.

.

.

Kagura, annoyed at being left to deal with the remaining demon vermin, was about to exterminate them all and get it over with when she felt it.

Her heart.

Beating.

 _In her chest._

Gasping in shock, she pressed a hand to where the feeling came from. She held it there for a good few minutes, then sighed deeply. She smirked at the wretched demon horde, who all looked befuddled and confused now that their sense of directions was gone, and took a sharp wave of her fan.

Afterwards, she soared above the clouds, allowing herself the privilege to whoop uncharacteristically loudly. The whole world was at her feet! She didn't know nor care who disposed of Naraku, and had no interest in paying a debt. She did not ask to be created by his filthy hands, but she had her freedom now.

And that was all that mattered.

Perhaps the mainland would be the first on her list to explore.

.

.

Kanna set down her mirror. Naraku was dead. Her role was over. She quietly disappeared into the trees, wandering aimlessly until she could find another master.

.

.

Sesshomaru paused in his wandering. He sniffed the air. Strange.

Not only had Naraku's scent disappeared, he sensed an enormous amount of purification powers concentrated not far from here. He frowned slightly.

Rin nearly bumped into his leg, looking up in surprise. "What is it, my lord?" she asked curiously.

"Don't ask impertinent questions!"

"Silence, Jaken," Sesshomaru said wearily. "We're heading this way," he turned heel and headed toward the strange energy.

.

.

Koga skidded to a halt. He was barely a few miles away from the explosion, but his wolf senses tingled from the purification energy pulsing in that direction. Not to mention Naraku's repulsive scent was… gone?!

"No way…" he muttered, just as his two companions ran up behind him, panting.

"K-Koga, can we slow down already?"

"Absolutely not! I need to see if it's true!"

"If _what's_ true?"

But Koga had already disappeared in a whirlwind of dust.

.

.

Kikyo watched as her reincarnation killed her bitter nemesis. She couldn't actually see Kagome or her friends, but from the cliff where she watched, she could sense Naraku's aura and feel the powerful purification spell. Only one other than herself could have done that.

"Kagome," she said quietly, "I suppose you are my true reincarnation after all."

She headed deeper into the mountains, her Soul Collectors obediently following her.

.

.

Kohaku opened his eyes. Tearful, purple eyes were staring down at her.

"Sis..?" he gasped, his head throbbing in pain.

And yet, despite his sore body and headache, he didn't mind when she flung her arms about him and sobbed into his shoulder.

.

.

Inuyasha held an unconscious Kagome in his arms, and looked around at his friends. Miroku had revealed to everyone the lack of black hole in his palm, Sango was currently embracing her brother, and Shippo simply looked baffled by everything.

He would have to explain everything later. He looked down at Kagome, and the large incomplete Jewel clutched in her fist. His heart swelled with pride.

Ever since they had met, he had been continually surprised by her courage. From fighting Yura of the Hair, to confronting his demonic side, Kagome never once backed down from a challenge. And now this! Defeating their greatest enemy in one fell swoop! If Inuyasha wasn't already in love with her, he would have fallen for her right now!

 _Wait... what?_ Shaking his head sharply, he propped Kagome firmly in his arms and began walking.

"Come on, guys," he barked at his friends. "Let's go home and rest."

.

.

Kagome opened her eyes, feeling groggy and disoriented. Her arm was wrapped in bandages, and her energy levels seemed all but sapped dry. She shifted slightly and noticed her fist wrapped tightly around something smooth and hard. She lifted it up to her eyes. It was the Jewel, shining pure white by her touch, with only a quarter chunk missing. She gasped, suddenly remembering everything.

"We did it!" she said in wonder.

"No, Kagome. _You_ did it. You did everything."

She turned her head. Inuyasha was sitting beside her, his sword propped protectively against his shoulder, his amber eyes locked on her, all but glowing with pride and affection.

 _Wait... what?_

"Inuyasha..." she said, attempting to sit up. "Wh-what happened? After-"

"Idiot, don't sit up too quickly! Take it easy," he quickly wrapped an arm about her waist and helped her sit upright. "Drink this. It'll help with any dizziness." He handed her a drink that had been sitting beside her.

Kagome gulped it down, ignoring the putrid taste, too eager to get rid of the nausea threatening to overcome her. Once it was gone, Inuyasha handed her some water to wash it down. She wiped her mouth and looked directly in his eyes. Again, there was no mistaking that look of pride! Bewildered, she asked again, "What happened? After I was knocked out, I mean."

"Naraku is officially gone. Not only did his scent and presence disappear, so did Miroku's Wind Tunnel, and Kohaku has his memories and mind back. On our way back to Kaede's, we ran into Sesshomaru, the mangy wolf, and... Kikyo," he admitted, his ears downcast.

"Really? What did they say?" Kagome said.

"Sesshomaru sensed Naraku's death, but he wanted to clarify. When we told him it was you, he said nothing except, 'No one kills my prey except me,'" Inuyasha mimicked his brother's monotonous voice, "but he didn't seem particularly upset. Just annoyed, I guess. He disappeared afterwards. The stupid wolf said the one smart thing in his whole life: 'If it couldn't be you or me, it had to be Kagome.'"

Kagome blushed slightly. Inuyasha gritted his teeth, until she said, "You're both being too kind."

"Don't be stupid. Even someone as wild and dumb as that wolf knows a great priestess when he sees one. And a great woman," he added softly. Before Kagome could open her mouth, he plunged on: "A-and Kikyo said she… saw. She saw it happen. And is grateful to you. She no longer has any reason to hold onto hate. She said goodbye. I don't know where she went, but I'm guessing she's finally found peace."

Kagome inhaled sharply. In spite of all the pain and jealousy she harbored toward the undead priestess, she could deny the overwhelming sense of relief from being complimented by her. And a selfish part of her triumphed over Kikyo giving up on dragging Inuyasha to hell with her. It was almost too good to be true.

"How are the others?"

"Sango is busy chatting with Kohaku, Shippo is helping Kaede fetch fresh water, and Miroku keeps quiet. I think he's almost disappointed that he didn't get to have the finishing blow. Like me," he blurted out, wincing.

Kagome opened her mouth to apologize, but Inuyasha pressed a finger to her mouth.

"No, don't do that, wench. We've all had our battles with Naraku, but it didn't really matter who killed that bastard. I'll admit I wanted the glory," he said grudgingly, "but I don't think …. I would have been as badass as you were."

"Don't be silly," Kagome said, blushing.

"You're the silly one! You were so... so cool and amazing and I'm so proud of how far you've come with your powers and I - I love you, dammit!"

Silence hovered over them for a few tense moments. Then, Kagome tentatively reached out and touched Inuyasha's cheek, gazing intently in his eyes.

"Really?" she whispered, hoping he wouldn't deny it.

"R-really," he said, his cheeks a dull red. "S-so, you're just gonna have to stick with me!"

Kagome giggled, wiping her moist eyes. "Stupid, don't you remember? At the well? I asked you to stay with you, and you let me. Now it's my turn. Will _you_ stay with me?"

In answer, he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

.

.

A few days later, Kagome's strength was back to normal, and once again, the Jewel was on a string about her neck. During her time of recovery, Miroku and Sango had made arrangements of their own: now that Naraku was dead, they would settle down here, in Kaede's village, and build a family together.

Kohaku, still haunted by his past, but determined to redeem himself, decided to continue training as a demon slayer and wanted to travel from village to village to help those in need. Once Kagome was up and about, she purified his Jewel shard and carefully removed it. When he turned out all right, Sango all but crushed Kagome in a bearlike hug, sobbing uncontrollably.

Inuyasha and Kagome also announced their relationship, but knew that unlike their friends, the journey wasn't over yet. The Jewel was incomplete, and countless demons were no doubt terrorizing the country with their amplified powers. They agreed to at least stay for Miroku and Sango's wedding, then it would be just them again, wandering the countryside, collecting Jewel shards.

Just like in the beginning.


	4. Catching Waves

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.**_

 _ **Author's Note: Inspired by Lenbarboza's adorable AU art of Koga and Ayame surfing, I (again) wrote this MONTHS ago on Tumblr, but now will share it here! Enough with painful angst and action; time for sheer fluffy romance! (Perhaps a tad sappy, but think of it as a break from the previous, intense chapters, lol ^^)**_

 _ **Setting: modern AU**_

 _ **Characters/Pairings: KogAya, some InuKag**_

 _ **Words: 1,932**_

 _ **Rated: T**_

 _ **Genre: Romance and Humor**_

 _ **Enjoy a bit of fluff!**_

* * *

 **Catching Waves**

The sharp call of the seagull, the briny air that permeates the skin, clothes, and hair, the roar of the waves rising and crashing down…. Ayame drank it all in. She was laying down on her towel on the beach, catching her breath after her last ride on the waves. It was the last week of summer before school started again. Ayame would be going into her last year of high school. The idea of graduating and leaving high school behind her forever was a relief, to say the least. But there was one detriment, one thing that prevented her from fully celebrating.

And that thing was currently riding on a particularly large wave.

Sitting up and stretching her arms, Ayame watched with shining eyes as her childhood friend, Koga, expertly surfed along the waves, never once falling over. He had been surfing since middle school, and even taught Ayame the ropes. He also graduated high school just before summer vacation. Which means... _My last year in school will be without him. But why does that bother me so much?_

A group of squealing fangirls not a yard away jolted Ayame from her reverie. Koga was slowly making his way into the professional league of surfers, and thus already garnered quite a gathering of ogling female groupies. Ayame frowned. Yes, Koga was good-looking, but there was no reason for those girls to act like he was some sort of god!

He's just Koga.

Koga, who was excellent at sneaking cookies from the cookie jar.

Koga, who patched up her skinned knees when she was younger, wiped away her tears, and grinned cheekily, saying she was a tough warrior.

Koga, who she totally didn't stare at during the majority of his senior year, when they shared their last class together (algebra, a subject she despised), and totally didn't notice the way his ponytail revealed his rather attractive neck and shoulders (she didn't stare, okay?!).

Just Koga.

Who those stupid, stranger girls had NO right to giggle and fangirl over!

"O. ! Look at that! He has such good balance!" one of those aforementioned idiots squealed to her friends.

"He's soooo hot!" another sighed.

"I'm willing to share him if you guys are," another said slyly, resulting in loud shrieks and laughter.

Ayame growled and bit the inside of her cheek.

"Careful, Ayame. You might turn green." Kagome, Ayame's long-time classmate and friend, smiled down at the jealous (wait, no, NOT jealous) girl watching the idiot fangirls watching Koga.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ayame said haughtily (but her heart skipped a beat when Koga made a particularly impressive move on the wave he was riding).

"Come on, Ayame. You've been making heart eyes at Koga all year. It's only now that you also always look a little sad. And jealous," Kagome said with a wink.

"I haven't been making 'heart eyes' at anyone!"

"Uh huh."

"Kagome, just because you FINALLY got together with Inuyasha doesn't mean everyone else has some sort of secret crush or something."

She tried not to sound so bitter, but it was proving difficult. Inuyasha and Kagome were their high school's Number One favorite potential couple that drove the school population crazy (and raised the bar of several gambling pools). When they finally got together at the end of junior year, people lost their minds (and several lost quite a bit of money, while many more gained), and though Ayame was happy for them, she felt irrationally irritated.

 _After all, Koga will never notice me that way. Not that I care. Cuz I don't! Oh, who am I kidding?_

Kagome blushed. "W-well, when you put it that way... but I swear, Ayame, it's not just because of me and ... well, _him_ ," she hurriedly went on. "I've been noticing you and Koga for some time now. You'd make an adorable couple."

Ayame sighed and hugged her knees. Koga was reaching the shore, and his horde of fangirls were rushing to his side. "Yeah... too bad he can't see it."

"Oh, I've seen the way he looks at you," Kagome said, grinning slyly. "You're definitely someone... special to him."

"Kagome, we're childhood friends."

"Perfect material for a budding romance!"

"You read too many fanfictions."

"... Maybe. But that's not the point!"

"Hey, Ayame! Hey, Kagome!" Koga's voice rang out. To Ayame's pleasant surprise, he completely brushed off his fangirls and headed straight toward his friends. A cocky grin plastered over his face, he looked directly at Ayame and asked, "So? Did I look great or what?"

She couldn't resist grinning back. "Think again, bud. Your form was sloppy, and I totally saw that near fall you barely managed to avoid."

"I did not!"

"Did so!"

"Ayame, how dare you try to lecture me on surfing techniques, when _I_ taught you the basics?"

"Well, you know what they say about the pupil surpassing the teacher..."

"Oh, bring it on!"

"Okay, lovebirds, that's enough flirting," a gruff voice rang out. Inuyasha was coming up with his own surfboard under his arm. After blushingly accepting a hug and kiss from Kagome (Koga pretended to vomit; Ayame slapped his leg), Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the pair. "If you're gonna keep flirting like that, you might as well make it official, otherwise you'll leave a string of broken hearts behind you, Koga." He gestured with his head at the gang of fangirls, all of whom were glaring openly at Ayame.

(Ayame couldn't help but feel nervously triumphant when Koga pulled her up to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.)

"Are you kidding me, Inuyasha? Ayame is like my little sister, and I'm sorry, but I ain't into that."

(And just like that, her pounding heart sank to her stomach. Kagome gave her a sympathetic look before rounding on Koga.)

"You liar! My eyes don't deceive me, and you, sir, have making eyes with Ayame all year long! Face it, Koga, you're in love!"

( _Can we please move this conversation elsewhere?_ Ayame thought miserably, her face burning red that had nothing to do with the hot sun.)

"Ah, come on, Ayame knows we grew up together and have been best buds. Right?" Koga said earnestly, grinning down at her. But the smile wiped off his face when he saw tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "H-hey, hey, hey, there! Ayame? Did I-?"

"You did nothing. You are nothing! Go ahead and get laid with ALL of those girls for all I care!" Ayame shoved Koga away and marched off, furiously wiping away at her treacherous eyes.

Several minutes later, she found herself perched atop a pile of rocks that cut the beach in half (one side where families and regular people visited, the other where surfers and rough water swimmers go). Watching the waves loudly crash against the rocks just beneath her feet was strangely therapeutic. In spite of wanting to hate the beach, the ocean, and everything to do with stupid surfing and _stupid_ Koga, Ayame couldn't deny that it all still called to her. There was something so hypnotizing about watching the water move in perfect rhythm, back and forth, with such frightening power. No amount of training and swimming skills can help a person outmaneuver a particularly dangerous current. The ocean was a force to be reckoned with.

Maybe that's why she was so drawn to Koga. He was a daredevil and loved showing off, teasing nature to kill him while always dancing away before it had the chance. Like the waves, he moved back and forth, between danger and calm.

"Stupid Koga," Ayame muttered to her knees, hugging them tightly to her chest.

"Um. Hey."

She turned around abruptly. Koga was standing right behind her, the sound of him climbing over the rocks to her deafened by the roar of the ocean. Ayame frowned, cursing the ocean and him and everything else. "Go away, you jerk," she spat, turning her back on him.

"Not until I catch a wave with you. Wanna go? There's a really good current now."

Ayame stood up, ready to tell him exactly where the current can take him, when suddenly, she slipped-

And then his arm was around her waist-

And then she was in his arms, breathless from the brief taste of near death-

And then he was looking into her eyes-

And then they were kissing.

 _Wait. WHAT?!_

"Ugh!" Ayame pushed him away, just careful enough to not trip him and to stay (unwillingly) within his grasp. "How dare you kiss me when you think of me as your sister?!"

"Ayame-"

"And even if you _were_ into that, do you think I'd like that, you pervert?!"

"Ayame, wait-"

"Why would you do that to me, Koga?! Why?!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, YOU DAMN IDIOT."

Silence. Nothing but the ebb and flow of the crashing waves. Ayame blinked, and her heart slowly made its way back to her chest, hopeful and anticipating. "Y-you're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then what about-"

"Dammit, I said you were like my sister, because I thought you only ever saw me as your brother, all right?!" Koga glared into Ayame's eyes, his cheeks a dull red. "I was wrong, and I didn't realize it until I saw you crying, okay?! Sheesh. Damn emotional girl... Oh, don't cry again! Please?" His voice wasn't mocking or condescending. It was tender and concerned and Ayame could feel more tears welling up at the wonderful tone that took away all her fears.

"D-do you mean it?"

"Of course, I do. Who do you think I am?" Koga grinned that cocky grin that always drove Ayame crazy (in more ways than one).

She hiccupped-laughed. "Then, let's so catch a wave."

Shortly after, Ayame and Koga were sharing a board, loudly shouting instructions and bickering at one another until they ended falling together in the water. They surfaced, splashed each other, and laughed, coming together for one passionate, wet and salty kiss.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Kagome were watching the whole situation from the beach. "See, I told you all they needed was a shove in the right direction," Kagome said triumphantly.

Inuyasha grunted and kissed her cheek. "Doesn't look like _they'll_ get over it anytime soon," he muttered, nodding once again to the fangirls (who were all looking rather put out and puffy-eyed).

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "Who cares? You had fangirls yourself, and they got it over it pretty quickly once you and I started dating."

"I had fangirls?!" Inuyasha asked, looking utterly mortified.

"Shhh, let's keep watching them," Kagome said, gesturing to the pair heading back to shore.

Koga and Ayame were openly holding hands now. Ayame looked up at her best friend, her boyfriend, and asked the one question that had been bugging her since summer vacation started: "Will you going to college change anything?"

"Pfft, 'course not. Besides," Koga said with a wink, "I'm pretty sure you and Kagome will murder my ass if I suddenly decide some hot college babe was better than you."

"Oh, you! Hey!" Ayame squeaked in alarm when Koga suddenly drew her close and kissed her, rather provocatively. Ayame blushed bright red, feeling rather weak-kneed with the man she'd known and loved all her life. When he slowly let go of her lips, she mumbled, "Your fangirls are gonna hate me."

"To hell with them. You're my woman now," Koga said in a low growl.

And somehow, as she wrapped her arms about his neck and was scooped up in his strong arms, Ayame couldn't care less who else could be watching.


End file.
